Hampshire College

Date: Sep 09 2015
Major: Design Arts - Industrial Design/Graphic Design/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
Hampshire College is the epitome of the saying, "it is what you make of it." With that being said, there are definitely some things that Hampshire is better at than others. Organic farming, queer/race studies, and film production are the only areas in which Hampshire itself excels (some might say they are the only subjects that have adequate facilities). Outside of that, Hampshire itself is mostly well-suited for wandering around in the woods when it's warm and staying in your house when it's cold. Although Hampshire's nonrestrictive program of study and access to the neighboring colleges gives students a huge variety of possibilities, prospective students should not be led to believe that they can truly study "anything" and receive a great education. Furthermore, many of the neighboring colleges don't allow other colleges' students to take certain courses. So in that sense, Hampshire might be best for some students as a place to start their undergraduate education, but not necessarily to finish it.

However… if you are a highly independent person who isn't relying on the college to furnish all the materials and resources you need to do what you want to do… if you're the kind of person who wishes you had more time to explore your interests… if you're the kind of person who needs a Bachelor's degree to progress further but doesn't want to have to major in a given subject as defined by institutional administrators… then Hampshire may be perfect for you. It really is a place where students are left to their own devices, in ways ranging from the grim winters to the single rooms that first years occupy to the lack of academic mandates. But Hampshire students are free in a way that almost no other college student is. You may not be able to find whatever it is you're looking for, but you will definitely be put in a position of having to become independent in your attitudes and actions. For someone seeking a place to achieve such independence, Hampshire is ideal.